Gas Hydrate Dynamics with Parameter-Free Clathrate\nPhase Description: Validation for Hydrate Formation and Dissociation

One of the major challenges involved\nin clathrate hydrate science\nthat has remained for more than six decades lies in highly parametric\nclathrate phase estimation. In this contribution, a recently developed\nparameter-free hydrate phase statistical equilibrium model is employed\nfor the first time to formulate the formation and dissociation dynamics\nof clathrates and predict their experimental observation at diverse\ngeological conditions. This rigorous thermokinetic model takes into\naccount various practical issues, notably hydrate formation in nanometer-sized\npores (confirmed through seismic survey studies), irregularity in\nporous particle shape and pore size, renewal of the particle surface\nover which hydrate majorly forms and decays, and <i>n</i>th-order phase transformation. The model parameters are identified\nby formulating the genetic algorithm-based optimization strategy.\nFinally, this multicomponent hydrate model is tested by predicting\nthe formation and decomposition data having pure water as well as saltwater\nwith and without porous media. The proposed formulation secures a\npromising performance with a lower absolute average relative deviation\nfor a wide variety of data sets over the latest hydrate models.